National Geographic Live, National Geographic’s touring speaker series, and The Washington Center for the Performing Arts are proud to announce “Pink Boots & a Machete” with primatologist and conservationist Dr. Mireya Mayor The event will take place at 7:30pm, Thursday, September 16, 2021, at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts.
Dr. Mireya Mayor’s exploits have earned her the nickname “the female Indiana Jones,” but the fashion-loving anthropologist always packs an accessory Harrison Ford’s character never would: a black dress — “should an unforeseen occasion arise.”
A former NFL cheerleader, daughter of Cuban immigrants, and mother of six, Mayor followed her unlikely dreams. In short order, she became a respected primatologist, audacious explorer, National Science Foundation Fellow, Fulbright Scholar, and an Emmy Award-nominated wildlife correspondent for the National Geographic Channel. She is also the author of Pink Boots & a Machete (National Geographic Books).
Mayor’s adventures have taken her—armed with little more than a backpack, notebooks, and hiking boots—to some of the wildest and most remote places on earth. She’s survived poisonous insect bites, been charged by gorillas, and chased by elephants. She’s also drunk cow blood in Tanzania, shared a raw goat kidney with the Maasai warriors of Africa, and ingested leaves to calm down an angry 400-pound silverback gorilla in Congo.
On expedition in Madagascar, Mayor co-discovered a rare new species of mouse lemur, believed to be the world’s smallest primate. Her discovery inspired the prime minister of Madagascar to establish a national park to help protect the new species, conserving the 10 percent that remains of the African island nation’s once vast forest.
Mayor divides her time between research in the rainforests of Madagascar, lecturing at schools and universities across the country, and traveling the world as a wildlife correspondent. She lives with her husband, six children, 11 chickens, dog, rooster, and an ever-growing menagerie of other animals.
National Geographic Live is the live events division of National Geographic. With a broad roster of talent including renowned photographers, scientists, authors, filmmakers and adventurers, National Geographic Live’s critically acclaimed programs have connected with audiences worldwide for over a century. Currently, National Geographic Live events are held in a variety of cities around the world, including, Seattle, Tampa, Los Angeles, and Calgary. In each of these cities, speakers share behind-the-scenes stories from the front lines of exploration onstage alongside stunning imagery and gripping footage. For more information, visit natgeolive.com.
For tickets and information, please call 360-753-8586 or visit washingtoncenter.org.